Writing instrument



March 1l, 1952 R. GRElsT WRITING INSTRUMENT Filed Jan. I9, 194e fINVENTOR.- @mond L 6,2?65 l B Y MMMJf/W/ N wg I II MMI

Patented Mar. 11, 1952 WRITING INSTRUMENT Raymond L. Greist, Chicago,Ill., assignor to Eversharp, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation ofDelaware Application January 19, 1946, Serial No. 642,158

3 Claims. 1 This invention has to do with writing instruments of thetype in which a thick ink is trans- -ferred to the paper or othersurface by a small ball which is rotatably mounted in the tip of theinstrument.

The principal object of the invention is to provide, in a writinginstrument of the type described, new and improved means for causing theink in the reservoir of the instrument to feed forwardly to the writingball under a certain predetermined amount of pressure as long, and onlyas long, as the instrument is held in a writing position.

Other more specific objects and advantages will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art upon a full understanding of the construction,arrangement and operation of the novel means for applying the pressureto the ink.

Three different forms of the invention are presented herein by way ofexemplncation but vin the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is an enlarged longitudinal section through a ball point writinginstrument of the replaceable ink cartridge type in which the cartridgeis provided with pressure applying means constructed in accordance withthe in- Vention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section, taken on the line 2-2 ofFig. 1; and

Figs. 3 and 4 are enlarged longitudinal sections through two modied inkcartridges, showing other ways of applying the invention.

The writing instrument shown in Fig. 1 includes a forwardly taperingcasing Ill and an ink cartridge I I. The casing Il) is hollow from endto end and is provided in its front end with a short ink feeding ductI2, which duct opens into a socket I3 in which a writing ball I4 isrotatably mounted. The casing I is constructed in two sections I5 andI6, which sections are adapted to be separated by unscrewing at I'! topermit insertion of the cartridge II.

The cartridge I I, which constitutes the ink reservoir, is locatedwithin the casing IIJ and is provided with a long slender nipple I 8,which nipple extends forwardly from the cartridge into abutment with theinner wall I9 of the front end of the casing. The nipple I8 contains anink feeding passage 20, which passage is progressively reduced indiameter from its rear end to its front end and registers at itsfrontend (Cl. 1Z0-42.4)

- spring 3 I.

2 .y with the duct I2. The nipple I8 is provided with threads 2| whichare adapted to engage .with threads 22 on the inside of the casing,

whereby to permit the cartridge to be screwed tightly into a position inwhich'the front end oi the passage 20 is placed in fluid tightengagement with the rear end of the duct I2. y

The cartridge II includes a tube 23 which is secured at its front end tothe nipple I8 and is provided at its rear end with an inturnedvange 24,which flange forms a circular openingA 25 of smaller diameter than thetube. The -ink used in' the writing'instrument is preferably of a thicksemi-fluid consistency and a quantity of the same is contained within areadily collapsible sack-like container 26. The container 26 is made ofthin soft flexible material and is secured at its front end to the rearend of the nipple I8 by a clamping ring 21. The rear'end 28 of thecontainer is closed. The container 26 may be of any suitable formationbut is shown as being constructed after the fashion of an accordion,whereby to facilitate endwise-collapsing under slight pressure withoutappreciable resistance. The rear end 28 of the containerZI is locatedsome distance forwardly of the rear end of the tube 23, and a weightmember 29-is positioned in the tube 23 behind and in engagement with therear end of the container.

The weight member 29 `fits loosely within the tube 23 and is slidablefreely therein in a forward direction. The member 29 is preferably Ymadeof metal, and is also preferably provided with longitudinally extendingYpassages 30 for permitting the escape of air past the same from thefront end of the tube 23 into the rear end of the latter as the member29 moves forwardly under gravity in collapsing the ink sack 26.'

The member 29 may be advantageously provided with a one-way clutchdevice which, in the form shown, consists of a small exible leaf Thisdevice prevents any rearward movement of the member 29 withoutinterfering with its forward movement. The spring 3I is securedto therear face of the member 29 by a rivet 32 and is bowed rearwardly, withits ends in one-way frictional engagement with opposite sides of theinner surface 33 of the tube.

From the foregoing it will be understood that when the writinginstrument is held in normal writing position the weight member 29 willbe acted on by gravity and will constantly exert a predetermined amountof pressure on the ink in the container 26, which pressure will remainuniform irrespective of the extent to which the container is collapsed,and that, when the instrument is placed in any other position, suchpressure Will be relieved, With the weight member still maintainedsubstantially in engagement with the container. When the instrument isplaced with its writing end up the spring 3| will clutch the tube 23 andprevent the weight member 29 ronr droppingf'back toward the' rear end ofthe tube; thus maintaining' a" uniform distribution of weight in theinstrument and preventing the noise which would otherwise occurJ werethe weight member permitted toislide'freely' back and forth in the tube.

In the modication shownlinFig;y 3` the-ink con' tainer 34 is shown inthe forrnof a long tube' ofv soft flexible material folded back andforth in loops upon itself. In this embodiment airvents 35 are providedin the front end of the tube 36, making urinnecessary the provisionof/anyair passages in the weight member 31. In other respectsltheiconstruction is substantially the same.

Inthe-imodicationlshown in `Fig. -4 the ink is placed directly inth'etubef38, ratherthanina collapsible container, and gravitational pressureis -eicerte'dfonfl theI ink by'. a weight -member 39 o itedfin'I anyway-to the use oi a separateV cartridge and that Ythe reservoir maybeconstructed if desiredfasa' more or less permanent part of theWritinginstiument;

vWhen the writing instrument is in use the gravitational Feifect of theweight member on the' ink will assist atmosphericpressure to cause ink'to' feed' continuously and uniformly. Should the feed':becomesluggish,with the result that not enoughof-'the ink is reaching-the-writing ball,

thep`ressure"on theink can be easily increased:

Atoanyudesired extent by'merely shaking or jarring'the instrument inthehand, in the same manner as is commonly done with an ordinaryfountain" pen', which flirting movement will cause 'th abruptly stoppedforward momentum of the Weightmember to react effectively against theinkin'the containertoreestablish the desired owl 1." An ink reservoirfor a pocket type Writing instrument which' is adapted to be held withits writng`tip'down when in use and With its writingtip"'up"when' beingcarried in a pocket and wh'ich hasa rotatably mounted ball as theWriting'tip" and an ink` feeding "duct opening into a socket in'whichthe ball vis mounted, said reservoir comprising a tubular housing, acollapsible ink container in the housing, which container is closed atits rear end and is connected at its front end with the duct leading tosaid socket, a Weight member which is freely slidable in the housing ina forward direction in engagement with the rear end of the ink containerfor collapsing the latter, and one-way clutch means acting between the'weight member and 'the'h'o'using'for preventing the weight member frommoving rearwardly in the housing away from the container when thehousing is placed with its rear end down.

2. An ink receptacle for a pocket type Writing instrument whichisadaptedto be held with its writingtipdown when in use and with its writing tipup'when being carried in a pocket and which has'a'rotatably mounted ballas the Writing tip. and an ink feeding duct opening into a socketinwhich the ball is mounted, said receptacle being connected at itsfront end with said duct, a'mcvablefweight vmember whichA inv itsmovement exerts'pressure on Athe ink inthe receptacleV when theVreceptacle is held with its front end down, and one-Way clutch means forpreventing the Weight member from moving]l in the opposite directionwhenthe position 'of the receptacle is reversed.

3. An ink reservoir for a pocket type writing instrument which isadapted to beheld with its 'Writing tipdown when in '-use and with itswritingtip upwhen being carried' in a pocket and which has a rotatablymounted ball as'the writing tip and an ink feeding duct opening into asocket in which the ball is mounted, said reservoir comprising a tubularhousingia collapsible ink container in the housing, which container isclosed at its rear end and is connected lat its frontend with said duct,a weight member which is actuated solely by gravity and'is freelyslidable in the housing in a forward direction under the influenceof'gravity alonein engagement with the rear end of the ink container forcollapsing the latter when the instrument is held tip down, and onewayclutch' means movable with the weight member in engagement with thehousing for preventing the Weight member from moving in the oppositedirection.

RAYMOND L. GREIST.

REFERENCE-S CITED The following references are of recordin the ille ofthisl patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 605,657 Toquet June 14, 1893613,453 Lippincott Nov. l, 1898 797,258 Bl'ynt Aug. 15, 1905 797,674Fisher Aug. 22, 1905 799,297 Betzler Sept. 12, 1905 982,922 Ashley Jan.1l, 1911 2,192,479 Nissen, Jr Mar. 5, 1940 2,438,786- Moore Mai'. 30,1948 2,444,003 Chesler June 22, 1948 2,444,004 Chesler June 22, 1948

